Fuji Incense Holder by Rakusai Bisai

Width: 5.5cm x 6.8cm Height: 5.0cm

Fuji Incense Container (Fuji-kogo) by Onishi Rakusai

--Hold the auspicious sign of "One Fuji" in the palm of your hand--

1. Work summary

This incense holder in the shape of Mt. Fuji was created by Onishi Rakusai , a successor to Nara's Akahada ware. Though it is a small piece, measuring approximately 5 cm in height and 7 cm in diameter, it meticulously replicates the undulating contours of the mountain, from its base to its snow-capped peak, and the body is divided into two sections, allowing for the storage of incense paste and aloeswood fragments.

2. Shape and glaze

The flow of the glaze stops along the unevenness of the mountainside like a snowfield, and the color changes from white to pale yellow to brown depending on the angle you look at it, reminiscent of the ``changing appearance of Mount Fuji with each day and hour.''

3. Techniques and the wonders of Akahada ware

The rough mountainside is created using Tatara molding and hand twisting .

After drying, the lid is positioned and separated, and the seam is polished. The glaze is applied in three stages , from the snowcap to the mountainside and then to the base, before being fired in a reduction furnace at around 1240°C. A small amount of zinc is added to the milky white glaze, giving it a faint iridescent sheen. The iron-red glaze, combined with the iron in the Akahada clay, gives it a brown color, and the alkalinity of the wood ash lowers its melting point, creating a fluid feel. This is how a unique landscape is created, where the warm and elegant earthiness of Akahada ware coexists with the ruggedness of Mount Fuji .

4. Cultural background of the Fuji motif

Number one auspicious sign : In Japan, the order of auspicious dreams is "One Fuji, two hawks, three eggplants," and Fuji is associated with "safety and immortality" and is seen as a symbol of wishing for safety throughout the year.

A symbol of peace throughout the country : During the Edo period, it was considered one of the three famous places of Suruga Province associated with Tokugawa Ieyasu, and was a design favored by samurai tea masters.

Relationship with the tea ceremony : Many Tenmoku tea bowls, braziers and kettles also feature the Fuji shape, which developed as a way to incorporate a clear, distant view into the tea room.

5. Arrangements at tea ceremonies

6. Onishi Rakusai's ceramics philosophy

Onishi Rakusai's motto is "Incorporating the history and auspicious signs of Nara into modern tea pottery," and in addition to themes associated with Yamato, such as deer, temple bells, and crested spires, he also actively incorporates Mount Fuji, a national auspicious symbol. In this incense container, the iron content of the Akahada clay resembles the rocky surface of melting snow, while the sparkle of the milky white glaze expresses the clear air of the "mountain of faith," condensing the spiritual landscape of Japan into the palm of your hand .

The "Fuji Incense Container" is a masterpiece that brings a poetic scene to the tea room: you hold the snow-capped mountain in your palm, and when you open the lid, the incense smoke drifting out creates a sea of ​​clouds that envelops the mountain peak. The delicate design unique to Onishi Rakusai and the warm glaze of the Akahada ware resonate well together, adding a refreshing view and wishes for "safety and immortality" to celebratory occasions as well as daily practice.

A conversation with Rakusai Onishi